In a historic and unprecedented move, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has been ousted as the speaker of the House of Representatives. This marks the first time in the history of the chamber that a speaker has been voted out.[0] The vote, which took place on October 3, saw Democrats joining forces with far-right Republicans to remove McCarthy from his position.[1]
The ousting of McCarthy comes as a result of mounting tensions and disagreements within the Republican party. McCarthy's speakership became embattled due to his willingness to make spending deals with Democrats, which drew criticism from the more conservative members of his caucus. This made it unlikely that Democrats would reach a substantive deal to preserve his position as speaker.[2]
The House Democratic caucus, which is more disciplined than its Republican counterpart, stood firm against any deal that would save McCarthy's chair.[2] McCarthy's own record of badgering and baiting the loyal opposition further strained relations between him and the Democrats.[2] Despite his attempts to blame the Democrats for potential government shutdowns, McCarthy's tenure as speaker was marked by a series of provocations and questionable actions.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and a vocal critic of McCarthy, played a significant role in the effort to remove McCarthy from office.[3] Gaetz had threatened for months to oust the House speaker if he relied on Democratic votes to pass legislation.[4] After McCarthy passed a stopgap measure with Democratic support, Gaetz followed through on his threat and initiated the motion to vacate the chair, ultimately leading to McCarthy's removal.[3]
Following the vote, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) was named as the acting Speaker of the House. McHenry will preside over the selection of the House's next speaker and carry out the duties of the position in the interim.
The removal of McCarthy has caused a significant upheaval within the Republican party. Many House Republicans are furious with Gaetz for his role in the ousting of the speaker and there are calls for his expulsion from the GOP caucus. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also called on Republicans to expel Gaetz, arguing that he is “destroying the House GOP's ability to govern.”
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged House Democrats to join Republicans in voting against McCarthy.[5] Jeffries cited a list of grievances against McCarthy and argued that he had catered to extremists within his party during his short tenure as speaker.[5]
The removal of McCarthy has left the House of Representatives in a state of chaos and uncertainty. The fate of the GOP leadership and the governing challenges that lie ahead for Democrats are now major concerns. The turmoil within the Republican party has the potential to further discredit the GOP as a party of incompetence and ideological extremism, while Democrats missed an opportunity to endorse bipartisanship over political gamesmanship.[6]
In the midst of these developments, the office space occupied by Speaker Nancy Pelosi has become a point of contention. Following McCarthy's removal, Pelosi was ordered to immediately vacate her office by the new Speaker Pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry.[7] Pelosi expressed her disappointment with the eviction, stating that it is a departure from tradition.[8] She emphasized that what matters is the important work that the new Republican leadership should focus on for the American people.[9]
Overall, the removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House of Representatives has caused significant upheaval and uncertainty within the Republican party. The move highlights the divisions and tensions within the party and raises questions about its ability to govern effectively. Meanwhile, Democrats face their own challenges in navigating the fallout from McCarthy's removal and finding ways to move forward in a divided and chaotic political landscape.[6]
0. “Who voted McCarthy out? These House Republicans voted with Matt Gaetz” The Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/10/04/republicans-voted-against-mccarthy-oust
1. “Democrat failure to save US speaker hands power to Republican right” The Conversation, 4 Oct. 2023, https://theconversation.com/democrat-failure-to-save-us-speaker-hands-power-to-republican-right-214969
2. “Kevin McCarthy Is History” The Nation, 3 Oct. 2023, https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/kevin-mccarthy-gaetz
3. “Kevin McCarthy's Brief Speakership Meets Its End” The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2023, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/10/kevin-mccarthy-republican-speaker-of-house-vote/675532/
4. “‘Firebrand’: What does US Republican rebel Matt Gaetz want?” Al Jazeera English, 5 Oct. 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/5/firebrand-what-does-us-republican-rebel-matt-gaetz-want
5. “Why House Democrats Refused to Save McCarthy” TIME, 3 Oct. 2023, https://time.com/6320202/house-democrats-refused-save-kevin-mccarthy/
6. “The bewilderment and schadenfreude the White House feels over McCarthy's ouster” POLITICO, 4 Oct. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/04/white-house-mccarthy-downfall-00119933
7. “House GOP boots Pelosi, Hoyer from House hideaways after Speaker Kevin McCarthy ouster” CNBC, 4 Oct. 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/04/gop-boots-democrats-from-hideways-after-kevin-mccarthy-ouster.html
8. “McCarthy Allies Are Taking Revenge on Democrats, in Pettiest Way Possible” The New Republic, 4 Oct. 2023, https://newrepublic.com/post/175967/mccarthy-allies-mchenry-revenge-democrats-offices-pelosi-hoyer
9. “Why was Kevin McCarthy ousted? Congress is in its eviction era, baby!” Slate, 4 Oct. 2023, https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/10/kevin-mccarthy-ousted-why-nancy-pelosi.html
